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Ground clearance

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 08:56 PM

I've fitted my 1300xflow and have about one inch ground clearance..hmmmm!
I guess this is a little on the low side. Trouble is, if I raise the engine the standard mount on the driver's side fouls on the steering linkage. (I have made triangular mounts for the standard Escort rubber mounts to bolt to as in the book). Also to achieve the ground clearance as stated in the book (i.e sump should hang no more than one inch below the bottom chassis rails) I would have to raise my gearbox mount about three inches. How have people got around this? I have a book chassis and modified Sierra steering linkage I should say that I've got my engine as near central as I can get without fouling anything else. Is it absolutely necessary to get the crankshaft in line with the centre line of the chassis?
Any help or photos greatly appreciated as I'm pulling out what little hair I have!
In fact, if any of you guys are in the Lakenheath area Friday or Saturday, please call in. I have plenty of cold beers in exchange for some expert advice.
Cheers
Jon

Northy - 26/4/05 at 09:05 PM

Have you shortened the sump?

nick205 - 26/4/05 at 09:09 PM

good avatar Jon

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 09:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Northy
Have you shortened the sump?

No. It wouldn't make any difference as the bell housing has the same ground clearance.

[Edited on 26/4/05 by jonbeedle]

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 09:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nick205
good avatar Jon

Thanks. It's me!
Cheers
Jon

clbarclay - 26/4/05 at 09:38 PM

What is the clearence from the ground to chassis rails?

By the sound of it is currently at 2 inches which seams a tad too low.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=23008

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 09:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by clbarclay
What is the clearence from the ground to chassis rails?

By the sound of it is currently at 2 inches which seams a tad too low.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=23008

Probably about 2-3inches, but I'll have to check. I know I can't get a trolley jack under. How the hell do I raise the height? My chassis is professionally built to the book spec by AS Motorsport.
Cheers
Jon

clbarclay - 26/4/05 at 09:59 PM

Most dampers/shock absoebers have adjustable spring seats, these can be turned to raise or lower chassis height.

3 inches is about the absolut minimum judging by past posts/topics (speed bump and pot hole free areas).

[Edited on 26/4/05 by clbarclay]

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 10:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by clbarclay
Most dampers/shock absoebers have adjustable spring seats, these can be turned to raise or lower chassis height.

3 inches is about the absolut minimum judging by past posts/topics (speed bump and pot hole free areas).

[Edited on 26/4/05 by clbarclay]

I have the GTS shocks and they look pretty well wound up to me i.e springs look fairly compressed. I'll try adjusting them tomorrow. I read somewhere that you should have thicker springs on the front. They all looked the same to me and I assumed they were all the same when I fitted them. I guess I should check that as well tomorrow!
Cheers
Jon

white130d - 26/4/05 at 10:28 PM

on the springs they should indicate 225 (pounds) for the front and 175 for the rears......you may have them bass ackwards

David.

jonbeedle - 26/4/05 at 11:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by white130d
on the springs they should indicate 225 (pounds) for the front and 175 for the rears......you may have them bass ackwards

David.

Sounds like the sort of thing I would do. I'll check tomorrow.
Cheers
Jon

[Edited on 26/4/05 by jonbeedle]

[Edited on 26/4/05 by jonbeedle]

Danozeman - 27/4/05 at 07:48 AM

Glad to hear your getting on with it Jon. Ive welded me brackets on me axle thats it.

Give ths shocks try mate. The only other thing it to redo your mountings. which as you say will make it an arse. Ive got all this to come in a couple of weeks when i try to fit my zetec.

white130d - 27/4/05 at 11:41 AM

Iv'e got 4" of chassis clearence and could go higher, book chassis, GTS bones and shocks....

Front MGB Trunion

D.

Danozeman - 27/4/05 at 05:35 PM

What uprights u got on there whitey?

rusty nuts - 27/4/05 at 05:46 PM

Jon , give me a ring at work, can arrange for you to check out my car . Even before I fitted a shortened sump I had a fair bit of clearance . Rusty

clbarclay - 27/4/05 at 06:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
What uprights u got on there whitey?

Looking through his photos, there MGB.

And looks like a very nice job of using MGB uprights too.

[Edited on 27/4/05 by clbarclay]

jonbeedle - 27/4/05 at 09:06 PM

Managed to sort out the ride height. I had my shox arse about face (back ones on the front). I have about 5.5 inches clearance all round now. I still need to raise my engine about 2 inches, which I'm not sure how best to do it yet. (I have about 2.75 inches clearance between the sump and the ground) It might mean shortening the Escort engine mount on the driver's side so that my triangular mount sits closer to the engine so it won't foul on the steering linkage.
I could shorten the sump as has been suggested but I have absolutely no idea how best to go about this. Does anyone make a shallower sump?

Any comments?
Cheers
Jon

clbarclay - 27/4/05 at 09:55 PM

My first engine mounts used the escort brakets. Again there in my photo archive (the mk1 design). These had 2 problems, they took up too much space and splayed the chassis rails as engine sunk down in thier slots.

Since then i've completely re done the mounts. Know using the mk2 design, which are a 40x40 box diagionally down from the engine to a bush between chassis rails F and G.
Mark Allanson has a good example in his photo archive.

They are far more space efficient and uses cheap and easy to get landrover bushes.

[Edited on 27/4/05 by clbarclay]

white130d - 27/4/05 at 11:49 PM

CL, thanks for the props. They are MGB, I turned the upper part down to 5/8" to fit the rod end, welded the threaded part onto the GTS upper bone, made the lower flanges and welded them onto the GTS lower bones and voila!, I got me an MGB set up.

D.